Farmers Movement Archive

Mixed signals as APMC ushers in VRS scheme despite state’s opposition to farmers’ bill

Despite the opposition by the Maha Vikas Aghadi government to the new agricultural reforms proposed by the Centre, the agriculture marketing board has decided to launch a Voluntarily Retirement Scheme (VRS) for the Agriculture Produce Market committee’s (APMC) employees.As per the new farm bill introduced by Central government, farmers have been more empowered over the APMC.According to the new bill, farmers don’t have to sell their produce at APMC markets. Farmers have the opportunity to sell the produce anywhere and anyone can purchase the produce from farmers directly.APMC marketing director Satish Soni issued the circular on November 5th. The circular stated, “As the revenue of APMC is going down due to new reforms, the VRS scheme would be executed at APMC. Employees and officers can take VRS under this scheme. The workers union itself demanded to introduce such a scheme. As per the request from the employees union, the marketing director is allowing APMC to execute VRS schemes at their level. For recruitment, APMC will now require permission from the marketing director.”The Marketing director has issued the circular and said that a maximum of 25 per cent employees can take VRS under this scheme which would get executed until March 2022.One of the top officials from the marketing board said on anonymity, “Before the Central government Maharashtra allowed some crops and fruits to sell outside the APMC since 2016. The Centre had brought new reforms in the last parliament session. All these would affect APMC and their revenues would definitely come down. On this background though, the politicians are opposing these reforms, it would be better to bring down the number of employees at APMC. It would help to keep APMCs in a better financial state.”Congress is carrying out tractor rallies all over Maharashtra to oppose the farmers’ bill but on the other hand the VRS scheme is getting executed at APMC.

Hindustan Times

08-11-2020

Pune